News Highlights:
- A high-ranking U.S. delegation is shocked to discover that items such as lentils and macaroni are included in the Israeli blockade on Gaza.
- The U.S. administration plans to spend most of its announced $900 million aid package on support for the appointed Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, not for reconstruction in Gaza; announcement came at an international conference supposedly to assist with rebuilding Gaza.
- Israeli group Peace Now reveals that the Israeli housing ministry is planning to nearly double the number of settlers in the occupied West Bank; Peace Now states this is only a small part of the overall expansion plan for the occupied territories.
- Palestinian leader Dr. Mustafa Bargouthi says there is no hope for peace with Israel after the recent elections and the new plans to built 73,000 new settlement units.
- Canadian Arab Federation issues a press release on the first day of Israeli Apartheid Week, calling for Canadian universities to uphold free speech; several Ontario universities have taken repressive measures against pro-Palestinian groups, including banning posters and disciplining students.
Feature:
An interview from Gaza City with Dr. Eyad Sarraj, first played on our sister station CKUT in Montreal in late January, 2009. Dr. Sarraj spoke about the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza, the destruction he had witnessed and called on listeners to support the global boycott Israel movement. The interview had been forwarded to us by Montreal activist Ehab Lotayef, who is currently in Egypt trying to enter Gaza and will be on our March 10th show.
Focus on Zionism:
Excerpts of a March 1st, 2009 Electronic Intifada article about the Israeli army harassment of the village of Jayyous and its mayor.
Here is an audio file of this show: